Sermon Tone Analysis

*I. **Introduction*

*A.

*Illustration: After a distinguished performing career, virtuoso violinist Jascha Heifetz accepted an appointment as professor of music at UCLA.

Asked what had prompted his change of career, Heifetz replied: “Violin playing is a perishable art.

It must be passed on as a personal skill; otherwise it is lost.”

We should learn from this great musician.

Living the Christian life is a highly personal experience.

We don’t pull it off merely by watching skilled veterans “perform.”

We need hands-on instruction and we need to seek to imitate those who have received the traditions of the faith and who are passing them on to us.

*B.

*I’ve entitled this section, “Thank God for Faithful Disciples.”

This is what Paul is doing in this section.

He is commending the readers for their faithfulness to follow his instruction, even in the face of his absence and their persecution.

*C.

*Recap of last time

*1.

*Two sections in vv.

2-10

a. Paul Mentions His Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians (v.

2a)

(1) We said that it was typical of Paul to begin his letters with thanksgiving for his readers.

(2) Then, in the next section:

b.

Paul Explains His Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians (vv.

2b-10)

c. *Read vv.

1-10*

d.

We saw that Paul expanded on this idea of giving thanks for them by explaining three aspects of it.

(1) We covered the first two aspects of their thanks for the readers—the manner and the timing (or the /how/ and the /when/).

(2) He said that they gave thanks by praying for the readers (making mention of them . .

.) and that they did it whenever they were remembering them before the Lord.

*2.

*Last time the main focus was on three principles of genuine faith that Paul and the others constantly remembered about the Macedonian church:

a. Their work of faith, their labor of love, and their steadfastness of hope.

b.

We learned that genuine faith produces works, and that Christian love for God and one another produces strenuous sacrifice for one another, and that biblical hope produces perseverance through trials and difficulty.

*3.

*This week, we are going to study the third and final aspect of Paul’s thanks for the readers: the cause of their thanksgiving.

a.

We find this in vv.

4-10

b.

Here, Paul states that the reason he and the others constantly give thanks for them is the choosing, by God, of the Thessalonians.

c. *Proposition:* This morning we are going to study the three proofs that he gives for knowing that they are elect, so that we can see what an exemplary church looks like and emulate it ourselves *[Rephrase]*.

*II.

**Paul States the Cause of Their Giving of Thanks* *(vv.

4-10)*

*A.

**/They Were Chosen by God/* (look at v. 4)

*1.

*He begins the verse stating that they know that the readers are elect

a.

This is the third “–ing” word or phrase in the paragraph.

(1) Making mention

(2) Bearing in mind

(3) Knowing

(4) These three clauses support the main clause – “We give thanks”

b.

This term is used by Paul to indicate his and the others’ complete confidence that the readers were truly saved.

c.

This would be such a word of encouragement to those who were enduring persecution from their own countrymen, probably even their own family members.

*2.

*See how he addresses them: brothers, beloved by God

a. /Brothers/ is a term carried over from the OT

(1) It indicates a close association of persons with a common interest and a well-defined membership.

* *

*Exodus 2:11:* /now// it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his *brethren* and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his *brethren*./

*2 Chronicles 28:8:* /The sons of Israel carried away captive of their *brethren* 200,000 women, sons and daughters; and they took also a great deal of spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria./

(2) It indicated membership in the covenant nation

 

(3) Here, it refers to a familial relationship with God and others who are a part of the family

(a) Christians call God, “Father” (Matt 6:9)

1.

Through repentance, faith, confession, and justification, we have been adopted as His children

 

*Romans 8:14-17:* /For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of *adoption* as sons by which we cry out, “Abba!

Father!” //The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him./ \\ \\

2. Only two families on earth – God’s and the devil’s:

  

*John 8:43-47* /“Why do you not understand what I am saying?

It is because you cannot hear My word./

/You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father.

He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.

Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies./

/But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.// //Which one of you convicts Me of sin?

If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? //He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”/

(b) Christians call Christ, /brother/ (turn to Romans 8:29)

* *

*Romans 8:29:* /For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;/

 

1.

He became a man, the perfect man and was obedient to the Father’s will, even to the point of death on the cross.

2. We are in the process of being conformed to that image

a.

He is the perfect man, the Second Adam

b.

We are the antitype

c.

This is sanctification which ultimately results in our glorification

3. Let’s not minimize the fact that He is Lord

 

(4) Paul considered those in the Thessalonian church to be a part of God’s family

 

b.

/Beloved of God/ further describes their endearing relationship to God

(1) Only time this phrase is used (though similar in 2 Th 2:13 [Beloved of the Lord]; Rom 1:7 [all who are beloved of God])

(2) Look again at Romans 8:29

(3) Those He foreknew

(a) Not those who He knew would choose Him

(b) Those He knew He would place His saving love on

 

*1 Peter 1:20:* /For He /(Christ) /was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you/ \\ \\

(c) The tense indicates that they have been loved in the past, and that action has a present result (having been loved by God).

(d) As one has said, “embraced once for all by the Divine love.”

(Lange)

 

*3.

*Let’s return to the main idea in this verse: Knowing His choice of you

a.

The word /choice/ can be translated /election/